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Stadler grabs outright lead after 7-under 65

By TIM CRONIN Associated Press

Posted:
06/22/2013 06:22:12 PM MDT

Updated:
06/22/2013 06:36:16 PM MDT

GLENVIEW, Ill.—Craig Stadler grabbed the outright lead at the Encompass Championship on Saturday, birdieing three of the four par-5s in a 7-under 65 Saturday that put him two shots ahead of Bob Tway and Jeff Sluman.

Stadler, who had a share of the overnight lead, shot 4-under 32 on his inward nine to finish the second round at 12-under 132 at North Shore Country Club. Tway also shot a 65 and Sluman had a 66 that included eight birdies and two bogeys.

David Frost was fourth, three strokes back after a 67 that included six birdies.

Steve Pate, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman and Bernhard Langer were tied for fifth at 8 under. Calcavecchia and Langer added 69s to their opening 67s, while Pate and Lehman shot 66 in the second round.

Stadler shared the overnight lead with a Langer, Calcavecchia and Duffy Waldorf.

The 65s by Stadler and Tway were a stroke off the course record set by Bo Hoag, then playing for Ohio State, during Northwestern's Windon Classic in 2010.

Tway was 6-under on his last seven holes thanks to a 6-foot eagle putt on the par-5 11th and birdies on four of his last five holes, the last a 30-footer from the fringe that fell into the cup.

Stadler had only one bogey on his card, and scored seven of his eight birdies with putts of 1-20 feet. His other birdie came on a 15-yard bunker shot he holed on the par-3 12th hole.

Pate's 66 included seven birdies in his first 15 holes before a bogey at the par-4 seventh, his 16th hole of the day.

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Lehman's 66 featured four straight birdies on his opening nine holes.

Tway made only one birdie on his front nine. The key to his inward score of 6-under 30 was a brilliant 3-iron to 6 feet on the par-5 11th hole. He made the putt for eagle, parred the next two holes, then sank birdie putts on four of the last five, including the big 30-footer at the home hole.

Like Stadler, who hasn't won since 2004, Tway has been in a slump. The 54-year-old has yet to win on the Champions Tour.

"My game has not been what I think it should be," Tway said. "My scoring has not been very good; chipping, putting, wedge play, all the stuff. I just continue to work on it. Today was better."

Stadler said he considered quitting earlier this year until two days of work with teacher Billy Harmon turned his game around.

"You always think you can fix it on your own, but I didn't know what I had to fix," Stadler said. "I've always been competitive. I just haven't been very good at it the last five, six years."

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